The invention relates to a reception method in which received symbols are functions of bits, which are determined by means of temporally successive trellis levels A and B which comprise a predetermined number of states, a transition from each of the states to a state at the next level B being performed on the basis of a received symbol.
The invention also relates to a receiver which is arranged to determine the bits relating to a received symbol on the basis of temporally successive trellis levels A and B, which comprise a predetermined number of states, a transition from each of the states to a state at the next level B being performed on the basis of a received symbol.
In a finite-state, discrete-time Markov process, with white noise influencing the estimates usually made concerning the conditions of a digital cellular radio system, the Viterbi algorithm provides for sequence estimation an optimum recursive algorithm, which is not, however, equally good for detecting individual bits. A received signal can be Viterbi-decoded at a base station or at a subscriber terminal of a cellular radio system. At a Viterbi block of the receiver a trellis of a message is searched for, whereby a transition metric of the received message is calculated. The Viterbi decoding is thus used for detecting the symbols corresponding to the transmitted information, the symbols representing bits or bit combinations of the transmitted message. The Viterbi algorithm is used, as known, in signal detection and decoding. The Viterbi algorithm generates an ML (Maximum Likelihood) sequence estimate from a signal and typically also makes soft decisions for channel decoding functions. The ML estimate comprises estimates of the symbol sequences that the signal comprises. The ML method is discussed in Proakis, J., G., Digital Communications, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1989, chapter 4.2. and the hardware implementation of the Viterbi algorithm is discussed in a publication by Fettweis, G., Meyer, H., High-Speed Parallel Viterbi Decoding: Algorithm and VLSI Architecture, IEEE Communications Magazine, Vol. 29(5), 1991, which are included herein as references.
A prior art Viterbi detector sums the transition metrics between the states of each level, the transition metrics representing a probability of transition between the states, to cumulative transition metrics; compares the formed cumulative transition metrics in each state; and selects, on the basis of the transition metrics, survivor paths entering each state, requiring a correct path tracing phase for making bit decisions. This causes delay in the bit decisions and in the detection of symbols. In addition, the Viterbi detector falters, i.e. loses the correct path for the duration of several state transitions after having selected a wrong path branch even once.
An object of the present invention is thus to provide a reception method and a receiver using the method, the receiver replacing a detection based on the Viterbi algorithm without using sequence estimation. Further, the method does not include the generating of survivor paths, so correct path tracing is not performed either.
This is achieved with a method described in the preamble, characterized by forming, at more than one known state of the level B, a transition metric for a received symbol, the transition metric corresponding to a conditional probability and being used in the transition for moving from known states of the preceding level A to each said known state of the next level B, a state of a preceding level being determined as symbols in the transition metric, the symbols each having a predetermined number of symbol alternatives; by forming a cumulative transition metric by multiplying the transition metric by a cumulative metric relating to each known state of the preceding level A; by forming a cumulative metric relating to the states of the level B by summing cumulative transition metrics relating to the states of the level B over the symbol alternatives of a symbol, with a known location, determining a state of the preceding level A; and by determining the bits of the received symbols separately for each bit of a symbol, irrespective of each other, by using the cumulative transition metrics.
A method of the invention is also characterized by forming, at more than one known state of the level B, a transition metric for a received symbol, the transition metric corresponding to a conditional probability; and by forming a logarithm of the transition metric, the transition metric being used in the transition for moving from known states of the preceding level A to each said known state of the next level B, a state of a preceding level being determined as symbols in the transition metric, the symbols each having a predetermined number of symbol alternatives; by forming a logarithmic-cumulative transition metric by summing a logarithmic transition metric to a logarithmic-cumulative metric relating to each known state of the preceding level A; by forming an exponential cumulative metric by using the logarithmic-cumulative transition metric as an argument for an exponent function; and by summing the exponential cumulative metrics over the symbol alternatives of a symbol, with a known location, determining a state of the preceding level A; by forming the logarithmic-cumulative metric by generating a logarithm of the sum of the exponential-cumulative metrics; and by determining the bits of the received symbols separately for each bit of a symbol, irrespective of each other, by using the logarithmic-cumulative transition metrics.
A receiver of the invention is characterized in that the receiver comprises means for forming, in more than one state of the state B, a transition metric for a received symbol, the transition metric corresponding to a conditional probability and to a transition from known states of the preceding level B to each said state of the next level B, a state of a preceding level being determined as symbols in the transition metric, each symbol having a predetermined number of symbol alternatives; means for forming a cumulative transition metric by multiplying a transition metric by a cumulative metric relating to each known state of the preceding level A; means for forming a cumulative metric by summing the cumulative transition metrics relating to the different states of the level B over the symbol alternatives of the last symbol determining a state in the preceding level A; and the receiver is arranged to determine the bits of the received symbols separately for each bit of a symbol, irrespective of each other, by using the cumulative transition metrics formed in the means.
A receiver of the invention is also characterized in that the receiver comprises means for forming, in more than more states of the state B, a logarithmic transition metric for a received symbol, the logarithmic transition metric corresponding to a conditional probability and to a transition from known states of the preceding level B to each said state of the next level B, a state of a preceding level being determined by symbols in the transition metric, each symbol having a predetermined number of symbol alternatives; means for forming a logarithmic-cumulative transition metric by summing a logarithmic transition metric to a logarithmic-cumulative metric relating to each known state of the preceding level A; means for forming a cumulative metric by summing the cumulative transition metrics relating to the different states of the level B over the symbol alternatives of the last symbol determining a state in the preceding level A; and for forming a logarithmic-cumulative metric of the level B by generating a logarithm of the sum; and the receiver is arranged to generate the bits of the received symbols separately for each bit of a symbol, irrespective of each other, by using the logarithmic-cumulative transition metrics.
The method of the invention provides considerable advantages. Compared with prior art solutions, it enhances performance, speeds up both bit decisions and the determining of a symbol, and removes faltering typical of a prior art detection.